FliteTrak in shortlist for 2017 IET Innovation Awards
Smart technology pioneer, UK-based FliteTrak, has reached the shortlist in the Manufacturing Technology category at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Innovation Awards.
It is in the running for the honour – to be awarded at a ceremony in London on 15 November – for its ViatorAero system for ‘intelligent’ airline seating.
ViatorAero is aviation’s first working technology for the monitoring of individual seats by aircrew for temperature, passenger movement, seatbelt closure and mobile phone activation.
FliteTrak will be showcasing the second generation of ViatorAero in the UK Pavilion at the Dubai Airshow on 12-16 November, along with other new products.
Joint managing director Andrew Barnett (above) said: “Our innovative ViatorAero is the only working technology of its kind.
“We are delighted to reach the Innovation Awards final, which gives us even greater momentum as we launch new products at the Dubai Airshow.
“Intelligent technology delivering intelligent results is the future.
“The Viator product range has the capability to transform the industry with advanced control and monitoring capabilities driving greater returns and delivering key insights through information.”
ViatorAero is based on advanced iblox framework technology. It employs small wireless, lightweight sensors with live data sent to a flight attendant’s tablet or mobile device showing individual seats activity and now with cabin air quality detectors.
Broken equipment such as trays, seatbelts and screens can be recorded and the details transmitted to maintenance crews for rapid correction. Faster maintenance turnaround saves airlines time and money.
Its predictive maintenance capabilities also flag up potential faults to help reduce actual downtime and drive planned maintenance schedules. Data can also be logged for later analysis.
FliteTrak’s second generation ViatorAero is lighter and smaller with advanced electronics and capabilities to interface with new products such as the Viator wireless control hub and its sensors collection SpriteAero, with ‘smell’ sensors to monitor air quality in aircraft cabins as well as elements such as alcohol or tobacco.
The new systems not only allow for enhanced sensing and monitoring, they send alerts and can where appropriate, allow managers or engineers to switch functions on and off or make adjustments remotely.
Future upgrades are set to include heart rate monitors and other safety related biometrics.
More than 300 companies from 25 countries entered the 2017 IET Innovation Awards.